Wolf Two Sided Mattress & Latex Topper to replace an old S&F for heavy people.

My wife and I are shopping for a new mattress. We are both heavy, over 250 lbs., and we both like soft/plush mattresses. We are both primarily side sleepers.

We are concerned about long term durability and comfort of plush pillow top mattresses.

My question is this, will the S&F 17" plush EPT mattresses hold up any better than the S&F 14.5" plush EPT mattresses? Both are from the Lux Estate line.

Also, given our weight, sleeping preferences, and concerns, should we be looking at the S&F "Luxury Latex" line?

I am intrigued, especially given your comments about latex being the most durable type of padding.

The problem I'm having with opting for an all Latex mattress, is that I hate to buy a mattress without laying on it and I can never seem to find a showroom that carries one.

Please advise. I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards, Dan

Hi Dan,

What has your experience been, thus far, when buying a mattress...in terms of durability?

I ask, because all the ones you asked about won't hold up very well under your weights.

Thanks, Pete

Hi Pete

We have been sleeping on a 16 year old S&F double sided pillow top that has probably been worn out for the last 3-4 years.

We haven't been very good about flipping the mattress regularly as was instructed when we bought it.

My back is pretty stiff when I wake up but that may be more of a weight problem regardless of what mattress I'm sleeping on.

What I do know is that when my wife and I are traveling and end up sleeping on a mattress that's too firm we both end up getting a poor night's sleep tossing and turning.

That's why we are leaning towards a plush model.

Thanks, Dan

Hi Dan,

OK. That makes sense to me.

What you're expecting is that a new mattress will last as long as your old one did, based on your experience.

What you don't realize, is that the mattress industry, as a whole, has taken a nose dive in quality over the past ten years.

This is especially true of the name brands.

Sealy/S&F was purchased by Tempurpedic in 2013. As of January 2014, the S&F line is loaded with memory foam...a product not used in your 16 year old model.

You should know that memory foam is the worst material ever in vented for this purpose.

"So, why do they use it?", you might ask.

Memory foam has created a boon for the industry and a nightmare for the consumer.

It's a temperature sensitive product that softens as it warms from the heat your body emits....and, it's not very resilient.

So, after a few months of this nightly warming and softening...with your body sinking further and further into it, you start to wake up in pain...back pain, pressure point pain at the hip & shoulder.

And, when you go to complain about it, you find that you won't prevail in a warranty claim, because memory foam returns to its original loft when you get off of it...not meeting the criteria needed for authorization to exchange.

And, as if that weren't diabolical enough, it's also a health hazard, off gassing the toxic chemicals from which it's made...adding insult to injury.

There are two things that help to make the sale...the initial feel of memory foam and pillowtops...neither, of which, holds up for long.

The thicker the mattress, the sooner you'll be looking for a new one.

Also, most of today's mattresses are one sided...so, right off the bat, you have half the mattress you have now.

Also, the coil system in today's S&F mattresses are nowhere near as strong as the coil system in your 16 year old model.In short, what you're considering won't hold up under average body weight, let alone 250+ lbs.

Having said all that, let me direct you to what will work for you.

We have two-sided mattresses from a company that is almost as old as S&F. The Wolf Co. was established in 1872 and has been owned and operated by the same family all this time.

There mattresses use the same strong coil unit that is in your S&F mattress. I suggest starting off with their Brooklyn Plush model.

For the soft surface comfort you want, that will remain like new for many years, add an Ever-Eden 3" Soft Vytex Dunlop Latex Mattress Topper.

Together, you'll have excellent support and comfort and longevity.

Here ate links to each of those products. Delivery is free and there's no sales tax. You can order on line.